OSHA Inspection: U.S. POSTAL SERVICE

Issued

Feb 10, 2006

Abate by

Mar 15, 2006

Penalty

Initial $1,875 · Current $1,875

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970:  The
employer did not
furnish employmnent and a place of employment which were free from
recognized hazards that
were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to
employees in that employees
were exposed to:
(a)At the 125 West South Street facility in Indianapolis, Indiana on the
loading dock,
the mailhandlers and fork truck operators were exposed to serious injury
due to
being struck by shifting containers and falling parcels and falling  out
of trailers
as a result of trailers being moved from the dock without the driver
ensuring that
no employees are in the trailer.  This hazard was noted on or about
December
30th of 2005.
(b)At the 125 West South Street facility in Indianapolis, Indiana on the
loading
dock,
mailhandlers and fork truck operators were exposed to serious injury due
to being
struck by shifting containers and falling parcels and falling out of
trailers as a
result of trailers being moved while truck drivers and spotters are
hooking and
unhooking the trucks from the trailers without ensuring that no employees
were
present in the trailer.  This hazard was noted on or about December 30th
of 2005.
Among other methods, feasible and acceptable abatement methods to correct
these
hazards would be training and assignment of one person with the duty of
control
over the trailer door. It would be their responsibility to ensure that no
employees
are in the trailer when leaving the dock or hooking and unhooking from the
trailer.  This one person would be responsible for communication to the
drivers
of the truck that the trailer door is closed.